Bear Briefs

Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative (THI), dedicated to developing and implementing strategies to address food insecurity in Texas, received a generous $3 million grant from the Walmart Foundation. The grant will be used to build “Hunger Free Coalitions” across the state, continue their child nutrition program outreach and conduct University-based research to evaluate and improve on their work.

“There is so much great work happening in Texas communities, but without coordination, this work is pushing upstream,” said THI Senior Director Jeremy Everett. “We fill a unique role, getting people to work together—nonprofits and legislators and businesses and state agencies.”
This model has proven very effective for THI and its partners: since 2009, 300,000 more students are eating breakfast at school every day and 10 million more meals are served in school programs. There are 2,000 more summer meal sites in Texas that have served 21 million more meals each summer than compared with participation rates in 2009.

Winners of Semper Pro Musica Competition

Fifteen soloists and four chamber groups participated in the final round of this year’s Semper Pro Musica Solo and Chamber Music Competition, which was held Sunday, Feb. 12.

Five soloists and three chamber groups were named as winners and will travel to New York City May 24-27, during which time they will perform in Weill Recital Hall at the renowned Carnegie Hall on Thursday, May 25.

The five winners of the solo competition were: Ricardo Gómez (violin), Yera Kim (piano), Casey Klopp (mezzo-soprano), David Medina (percussion) and Spencer Sosnowski (saxophone). The three chamber groups selected as winners were: a trio composed of Zachary Barba (tenor voice), Stephen Buley (horn) and Sara Steele (piano); the Morpheme Saxophone Quartet, with members Spencer Sosnowski (soprano sax), Patrick Lenz (alto sax), Mollie McInnis (tenor sax) and Mitchell Brackett (baritone sax); and the Ursino String Quartet, with members Ricardo Gómez and Molly Hines (violin), Joshua Thaver (viola) and William Danheim (cello).

Faith-Based Organizations Address Homelessness, finds ISR Study

Faith-based organizations are at the forefront of addressing root causes of homelessness, providing not only the majority of emergency shelter beds but innovating long-term solutions, a new study by Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion concludes. The study looked at homelessness in 11 sample cities and is part of a growing body of independent research examining the socio-economic impact of faith-based organizations across the United States.

According to the study, faith-based organizations provide 58 percent of emergency shelter beds in the 11 cities surveyed across the nation, in addition to providing an array of vital services and personalized interventions necessary for long-term recovery and independence. These services include, but are not limited to, education, healthcare, job training and addiction recovery. As a result, the study estimates that faith-based organizations create $9.42 in taxpayer savings for every $1 invested by the government. It further shows an estimated $119 million in tax savings in the 11 cities during the three years following implementation of faith-based Residential Recovery and Job Readiness programs.

Baylor/MISD Partnership Wins Exemplary PDS Achievement Award

The professional development school partnership between Midway Independent School District and the Baylor University School of Education has received the Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement Award. The National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) presented the award at its annual conference in Washington, DC, on March 10. The award gives national recognition to outstanding school-university partnerships that shape educator leadership and practice.

The Baylor School of Education/Midway ISD partnerships are noted for emphasis on a clinically-based teacher preparation program that positively impacts the learning of PK-12 students, pre-service teachers and in-service professionals.

Dr. Paul Marshall Named Wilson Chair in Religious Freedom

Internationally acclaimed scholar and former senior fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom in Washington, DC, Dr. Paul Marshall, has joined the faculty of Baylor University as the Jerry and Susie Wilson Chair in Religious Freedom.

He has authored and edited more than 20 books on religion and politics and has published several hundred articles which have been translated into 22 languages. His current research is focused primarily on understanding how Muslims and Christians are able to live and work together peacefully in Indonesia.

“I have long admired Baylor’s outstanding faculty and its commitment to be a Christian research university,” said Marshall. “It is both a privilege and a pleasure to be part of this endeavor.”

Baylor University Press Titles Win 2017 PROSE Awards

Two University Press-published titles earned 2017 PROSE Awards, recognizing scholarly excellence within the publishing industry. Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels by Richard B. Hays (Duke Divinity School) won the 2017 PROSE Award in the category of Theology and Religious Studies; and Destroyer of the Gods - Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World by Larry W. Hurtado (University of Edinburgh) won the 2017 PROSE Award in the category of Archaeology and Ancient History.

“We are immensely proud of the scholarship represented in these two groundbreaking volumes. Richard Hays and Larry Hurtado are giants in their fields, and to have a double-win in the PROSE Awards this year is a testimony to Baylor University’s support of world-class academic publishing,” said Carey Newman, director of Baylor University Press.